


Drowsy Heat

by Leonidas1754



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alpha!Sylvain, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Developing Relationship, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, No Smut, Non-sexual heats, omega!felix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:34:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24829915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leonidas1754/pseuds/Leonidas1754
Summary: A series of events leads to Felix finally presenting, as an Omega to everyone's surprise. Getting it sorted out ends up a lot easier than most would anticipate, and while it's not perfect, it's a chance for them both to be happy.
Relationships: Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier
Comments: 4
Kudos: 69





	Drowsy Heat

**Author's Note:**

> So yea a second ABO Sylvix fic that has no porn. There's definitely some more direct talk about sex in this one, but still no smut. It's mostly fluff, some light angst, and a nice little hopeful ending.
> 
> EDIT: I do wanna say something bc I kinda realized how it might come off- the first section about how ABO works in this fic is not intended to throw shade on any other ABO fics and how they use ABO. It's purely intended to set up this universe because I know I tend to write it a bit differently, and I thought Byleth not knowing would be a fun introduction. Enjoy!

“What’s an omega?”

The entire Blue Lions house raised their heads from their books to look at their professor, who just blinked back at them. Dimitri was the one to speak up after glancing around at his equally baffled classmates. “Pardon, professor?”

Byleth still looked relatively neutral, if curious. “I overheard a few other students talking the other day about omegas or something, I figured one of you might know more about it than me.”

“Um… Yea, that’s kinda important info, Professor. Did your dad never tell you?” Sylvain asked, tilting his head.

“I suppose he never thought it was important enough.” Byleth shrugged.

Everyone looked varying levels of awkward before Felix stood. “Alright, I’m getting Manuela. Because this is just going to get stupid if we try to explain it to him.” With that, he turned and left the room. He marched right over to the Black Eagle classroom, leaning inside. “Professor Manuela? I think we need your help.”

Manuela, as well as the rest of the class, looked up to Felix in confusion. “Is something wrong, Felix?” Manuela asked, sounding concerned.

Felix’s voice was deadpan. “Apparently Professor Byleth never got the talk about secondary sexes, and I am absolutely not dealing with that.”

There were a few moments of stunned silence, just like with the Blue Lions, before the Black Eagle students broke into a tirade of disbelieving giggles and confused whispering. Manuela just sighed. “Alright, the rest of you study on your own. This should probably be resolved sooner rather than later. What in the world was Geralt thinking?” she muttered as she pulled a book from her desk drawer and followed Felix back to the Blue Lion’s classroom.

Felix returned to his seat as Manuela stepped up to Byleth, looking amused. “Do you mind if I hijack your class for today, Professor? Technically this lecture is supposed to come after the Battle of Eagle and Lion, but it’s best we get it out of the way now if you don’t actually know.”

“Oh, okay. Is it really that important?” Byleth asked, seeming curiously confused. 

Manuela simply nodded as Byleth moved away and took a seat at one of the student tables. “Yes, it is.”

Ingrid raised her hand. “Wait, why were we to have a lecture on this? Isn’t it something most people come here knowing?”

Manuela nodded. “Yes, but the monastery figured long ago that it was best to give a formal lecture at some point in the year, having found that some students come with very little knowledge, whether due to negligent parenting or other circumstances, and some come with poor misconceptions that are important to be corrected. I believe Professor Byleth’s situation is quite the abnormality, though,” she said with a slight laugh.

Several students pulled out separate papers to take notes, just in case what Manuela said was true for them while Manuela opened her book and pulled out some notes of her own. “Alright, first, I do want to bring up something that would usually be saved for near the end, but I think it’s important to say first so it’s clearer why Professor Byleth might’ve known nothing of it. While secondary sexes are incredibly common in Fodlan, there _are_ those who present no secondary sex whatsoever, and also cannot sense the secondary sexes of others. It’s quite clear that he falls under this category, with no clear scent of his own and no way to sense others in this way.”

“Ah… So a large part of this secondary sex is smell?” Byleth asked, tilting his head.

Manuela nodded. “Indeed. Scents are a very important aspect of secondary sexes. But secondary sexes are not something that is immediately obvious from birth akin to primary sexes, being male or female. These are things that come to light later in life, something called ‘presenting’. Generally speaking, the conditions for someone finally presenting tend to depend on what exactly their secondary sex is, but everyone who has one has at least a cursory sense of being able to tell whether someone else also has a secondary gender.”

“Like me,” Mercedes chimed in with a smile. “I’ve never been able to sense or scent or anything like that, which is a strong indicator I also don’t have a secondary sex myself.”

Manuela nodded while Byleth and a few others were writing things down. “That’s the gist of it. It’s still important to learn, though, to know how to care for others who do have secondary sexes. Now, there are three major kinds of secondary sexes: Alpha, Beta, and Omega.”

Felix put his chin in his hand, tired and faintly annoyed at having to learn this all over, even if it was important. “Are we really going to go over _everything_?”

Manuela chuckled. “Not every little detail, no, but we will cover everything important. Now, first, we’ll go over Omegas. Contrary to popular belief, there are equal amounts of males and females who are Omegas, and no, male Omegas can’t get pregnant. It is common knowledge, but there is a startling amount of people out there who believe otherwise.”

“From what I’ve seen, it tends to come from sexist people, and parents who want to convince their kids not to have sex before marriage,” Ashe said, sounding tired just thinking about it. “There’s still a number of people out there who look down on Omegas, which is… It’s frustrating, to say the least.”

Manuela nodded sympathetically. “Omegas, whether they can bear children themselves or not, tend to be the ones who create the home, so to speak, and drive reproduction through their hormones. They are the ones who go into heat. Heat is a period of time, anywhere from two days to a week, where an Omega’s body is in a state of high sensitivity and virility, making it the most successful time for them to get pregnant or get their partner pregnant. It is also a time where they are more inclined to bonding with a partner, emotionally and physically, as they are more vulnerable.”

Byleth frowned. “That sounds really dangerous,” he pointed out, “especially for soldiers.”

“It can be, though not much more than a female’s period makes it so. Just like with those, though, we have developed medicines that assist in stifling these biological processes. They tend to come around less for Omegas, though, due to how a heat is triggered. An Omega actually presents with their heat, and therefore no Omega presents until late into puberty or after they are fully mature. They also tend to present when there is someone they find desirable as a partner around. This can be someone they’ve just met, or it can be someone they have known for a long time and they’ve reached the physical, mental, or emotional maturity for it, or any other number of factors that can change someone’s outlook on what they desire in a partner or how they feel about someone.”

It was Dedue who had a question this time. “Pardon me, but is it true that Omegas are most likely to desire an Alpha as a partner?”

“That is true, and I’ll get to why in a moment,” Manuela said. “When heat comes for an Omega, there are a few things that are most important. Firstly, a place where they can feel safe is required. Here at the monastery, that tends to be your dorm rooms, and is why they’re built the way they are, to be able to be closed off from exuding an Omega’s scent. Nesting is also a large part of heat. This usually consists of a large pile of soft things to curl up in, as well as, if they can acquire it, an item or two of the desired partner that has a lot of their scent. The scent can act both as a calming component and something to help sate their… well, sexual drive.”

More than one person in the room turned pink at that, though no one pointed it out. Byleth looked somewhere between confused and concerned, though no one could blame him. Ashe did speak up again at seeing his expression. “It’s usually only when an Omega actually has that desired person around. After presenting, if there isn’t one around, we still go into heat from time to time, but they’re _much_ more tame. It’s, um, it’s why I have those days where I ask to be left out of physical activities, because I can study and be around people, but heats… They take a lot of energy, even when they’re tame, so it’s too tiring to do a ton more than that.”

Byleth looked surprised. “So you’re an Omega?”

Ashe nodded. “I presented before coming to the monastery, it was…” He rubbed his neck. “It’s just a thing. I’d prefer not to talk about it.”

“The monastery usually allows anyone to do what they feel is best, though if we feel there is cause for concern, appropriate measures are taken. We’re here to help students as best we can, after all, whether that means supplying additional blankets or setting aside a room away from the rest of the students. This need for safety is also the reason many Omegas are drawn to Alphas. If Omegas are the ones who are driven by instinct to create the home and safe place to be, Alphas are the ones who instinctively protect it and care for those in it. Alphas can present at just about any point in life, even at quite young, though of course the sexual aspect of it does not come until mid-puberty at the earliest.”

Sylvain laughed. “Yea, I presented when I was like… How old was I again?”

“Eight,” Felix supplied. “Probably the only reason you’re not completely useless.”

“Damn, that’s pretty cold, Felix,” Sylvain said, though he was grinning the entire time.

Manuela shook her head. “Alphas as a general rule are instinctively protective, especially of those they find desirable as a partner, but also of family and platonic relationships as well, which is why they can present so young, as it’s not solely connected to sexuality. The sexual aspect, as well, only comes into play if they find an Omega desirable and encounter them while they are in heat. The physical response is often great, primarily in sexual desire. I do want to make one thing very, very clear, however.” Her voice turned grave and very serious, her eyes drilling into every one of them. “Instincts are _not_ an excuse.”

A shiver ran over most of the class, though Byleth looked confused. “What do you mean?”

Manuela’s expression softened into sadness. “To make it short and not delve into it too much, there have been cases of people, those of any secondary gender or even none at all, forcing themselves upon another, using instincts as their excuse. But humans are not like animals. We have the mind and control to resist our instincts, and take the steps to remove ourselves from a situation such as that.”

It was Byleth’s turn to look serious. “That’s horrible. But I’m sure none of the Blue Lions would even consider such a thing.”

“No, of course not.” Manuela smiled again. “I believe the same. We only make these statements with every class, every student, to impress the seriousness. A culprit will not be tolerated, and victims are encouraged to come forward if something does indeed happen. Now, moving back to less horrible topics, the final secondary gender is a Beta, though this can be somewhat misleading a statement. A Beta is, in essence, someone who does not fit into the boxes of Omega or Alpha. This includes people who have a secondary gender but have not presented yet, as well as those who display incomplete traits of one of the other genders or even traits of both. It’s a bit of a catch-all term.”

“There are a few other terms for those who have traits of both Alphas and Omegas, or display incomplete traits, but they’re not as widely used,” Dedue mused aloud. “I feel it would be good to have those further terms, but they seem to be having a hard time catching on.”

“I’d love more specific terms, but alas, these sorts of things take time to really come around. You’re more than welcome to use those terms if you wish, especially if you yourself are the Beta in question, but it’s usually best to avoid using them for others unless you know they prefer it, and when speaking with doctors, use Beta and simply explain it more in depth.” Manuela smiled, glancing over her notes. “I do believe that’s everything major or important, does anyone have any questions?”

Ashe raised his hand, brows knitted in concern. “I have two? Um, one, does the Omega have to be interested in the Alpha as well for the Alpha to have the, uh, physical response? And would my more minor heats potentially set someone off?”

“Ah, those are very good questions. For the first, no, an Alpha has no way of instinctively knowing an Omega is attracted to them, so their heat could be from any number of reasons, and the Alpha would simply be responding to the heat itself. As for your tamer heats due to no desirable partner around, it can vary based on the strength of attraction and their own sensitivity. I would simply say if you realize someone is paying particular attention to you during that time, or starts to try anything, come to one of your professors or other staff. There have been instances of this, where the Alpha had no desire to act on it or any of the sort, it was simply a matter of adjusting a schedule so they weren’t around each other terribly much during that time.”

Ashe looked relieved. “I doubt it’ll come up, but it’s good to know just in case.”

Byleth nodded to Ashe. “This is all pretty strange and new to me, but I’ll do my best to help with what you need.”

“Heh, thanks Professor.” Ashe smiled brightly.

Byleth stood and walked back to the desk. “Thank you, and sorry for the impromptu-ness of it all. I’m glad I know now, though, from the sound of it, it’s pretty important.”

Manuela nodded with a smile. “Of course, I’m glad to help. I’ll return to my own class now, just let me know if you have any more questions.”

Byleth waved as she left the classroom before looking over his class. “Sorry about that. Thank you for going to her, Felix.”

Felix snorted. “I just knew there was no way I was going to try explaining it to you, and watching the rest of them try would’ve just been painful.”

Everyone laughed at that, with Byleth smiling some. “Well, if I have this right, myself and Mercedes have no secondary sex, Ashe is an Omega, and Sylvain is an Alpha. Is it safe to assume everyone else is a Beta?”

Dedue shook his head. “I too have no secondary sex. They were less common in Duscur than they are in the rest of Fodlan.”

“I’m an Alpha too!” Annette chimed in. “So you don’t have to worry about me and that heat stuff.”

Byleth nodded. “Please, I hope you all feel comfortable coming to me if needed. I do want to help.”

Felix shrugged. “It’s not going to be that big a deal, I’m sure. We all know each other, if we hadn’t presented by now, we’re probably not going to. The only one to really worry about is Ashe, and he’s taken care of himself well enough before now.”

Dimitri looked thoughtful. “Manuela did leave out most of the overtly sexual aspects of it, particularly those sexual characteristics Omegas and Alphas have… I suppose it’s not that important, though. They’re not all that relevant unless you’re actually planning on intercourse.”

Byleth looked confused once more, and Felix groaned. “And I’m out of here, no thank you, I want no part of this.” Felix turned and walked out of the classroom.

Ingrid giggled, lightly nudging Sylvain. “Are you _ever_ going to tell Felix about you-know-what?”

Sylvain shook his head, gaze somewhat fond. “Nah, you know what he’d say. Besides, he doesn’t have to know for me to still be there for him.”

“I suppose you’re right. Besides, you also have some bigger things to worry about…” Ingrid’s smile turned sympathetic.

Sylvain’s face fell. “Right… My brother…”

* * *

Felix panted hard as he leapt away from the monster’s blow. This was supposed to be simple. Route the thieves, retrieve the relic. No one had said anything about their leader turning into a damn _monster_. The professor was frantically calling orders, trying desperately to defeat it without getting his students killed. Felix went in for another strike with his sword as directed. When he tried to dodge the counterattack, however, his ankle snagged on a piece of rubble and twisted.

“Felix!” the shout came as he went down from the blow, still conscious, but in pain. Sylvain was near immediately at his side, using his shield to block the next attack as best he could. Then he lifted Felix, moving quickly away from the beast. Pursuit was blocked by Dedue and Dimitri closing in to strike it in Felix’s place.

“Go, to Mercedes,” Byleth ordered quickly, then dove in to strike the beast himself. Mercedes’ gaze was contorted in worry as they reached her, and Felix could hear a roar of pain from the beast behind them. Mercedes’s healing eased the pain some, but Felix knew he wouldn’t be able to walk either way.

“Is everyone else alright?” Byleth called, looking frantically around at the students.

Everyone sounded off, including Felix, who could only manage a groan. Mercedes stepped toward to speak with Byleth. “He’ll be alright, I think, he’s not about to die of course, but he really needs a more experienced healer than me.”

Byleth nodded. “If everyone else is capable, let’s go. Sylvain, do you want to-”

“No.” Sylvain shook his head, cutting Byleth off. “Just take the relic and let’s go. Felix needs medical attention.”

Dedue stepped forward. “It’s a long way, let me-”

“Back off!” Sylvain hissed, before realizing what he’d done as Dedue jerked back. “I… Sorry, I just…”

Dedue shook his head. “Instinct, I understand. If you do need help later, I can take him.”

Felix wasn’t really sure what was going on through his haze of dull pain and the daze of getting hit hard. Sylvain was being… Alpha overprotective, apparently. Felix figured it wasn’t _too_ big a surprise, considering how long they’d known one another, for him to be so protective when Felix was hurt. It was still… Nice. In a weird way. Felix knew he’d be griping about it if he wasn’t in crippling pain, but then again, Sylvain probably wouldn’t be doing this otherwise.

Sylvain was so gentle with Felix as they walked, trying to move him as little as possible. Felix mostly dozed, letting himself find a bit of comfort in Sylvain’s scent for once. He could claim it was due to the injury later- not that it was untrue, it absolutely was because of how hurt he was. That was all.

“He looks pretty out of it,” Sylvain murmured, “do you think he’s gonna be okay?”

Ingrid peeked over. “We probably won’t know until we get back.”

“C’mon, Felix, you still with us?” Sylvain lifted Felix up a bit, leaning his head closer.

Felix grumbled and reached up, pushing Sylvain’s face away. “Your breath stinks.”

Ingrid snickered. “Yep, he’s still with us.”

Felix could feel Sylvain’s smile against his hand. “Moron,” he huffed as he lowered his hand. Somehow, Sylvain’s scent seemed stronger.

“Sorry,” Sylvain said, actually looking apologetic. “You just… You got hit pretty hard. I thought you’d gotten out of the way, but you just didn’t.”

“Twisted my ankle,” Felix mumbled. “Not broken, but still bad.”

“Aaah, that would do it.” Sylvain nodded. “Well, we’re gonna get you all set, and if you need more help, well…”

“Bite me,” Felix grumbled. Hurt or not, he wasn’t going to have Sylvain fussing more than absolutely required.

Sylvain chuckled, and there was something strange in his gaze, something soft and unfathomable. “Alright, alright. Just… If you do need help, Felix, please, don’t mess around. I mean, if it doesn’t heal correctly, you won’t be able to train as much, right?” He chuckled, obviously trying to appeal to Felix. “I don’t wanna make you feel incapable or anything, man, I just want to make sure you get better.”

Felix felt strange and warm and tingly all over. “... Fine. I’ll tell you if I actually do need anything. You’re such a pest.”

“Fine by me, if it means making sure you actually get better and don’t hurt yourself further out of stubbornness,” Sylvain said with a laugh.

Felix closed his eyes, sighing through his nose. Stupid… He stayed like that as they reached the monastery, Sylvain still carrying him up the stairs to the infirmary. Felix only opened his eyes once he was set on a bed, carefully pulling himself up to be sitting instead of laying down. “... Thank you,” he muttered as Sylvain stood up.

Sylvain looked surprised before smiling. “What are friends for?” he asked before nodding to Manuela and heading out of the room.

Manuela checked him over, with Felix answering her questions, but he was only barely paying attention. It had been a long day, and Felix was tired and for some reason, his mind was just on Sylvain. He was at least aware enough to know Manuela was telling him he could walk, just no training for the next week. He just… needed some rest.

He went straight from the nurse’s office to his dorm room, closing the door and flopping onto his bed. He closed his eyes, trying to just get some rest. He simply couldn’t get comfortable, though. He eventually got up and pulled another blanket onto his bed.

Felix did manage to sleep, but it was restless and fleeting. Come morning, he didn’t feel much more rested than when he went to bed. He got up, keeping a blanket wrapped around himself as he stepped out of his room and glanced around, spotting Ashe and Dedue. He walked over to them. “Mm, morning… Do you know if the dining hall has breakfast out yet?”

Both turned to him, Dedue looking curious and Ashe’s eyes widening. “I believe so,” Dedue said. “You look rather tired, though.”

Felix shrugged. “Didn’t sleep well. It was really cold last night.”

Dedue looked confused and as if he was about to say something before Ashe spoke up. “Ahah, yea, it was, um, why don’t we get more blankets for you? Your ankle’s still hurting, right? So you shouldn’t be walking more than you have to. We can go down for breakfast and bring you some food and blankets on our way back! You look exhausted anyways, heh, you seem like you’re more likely to fall asleep on your food than eat it.”

Felix blinked slowly, as if digesting the quick words. “... Fine. Thank you.” He turned and shuffled back to his room, suddenly feeling like it was the best place to be anyways. The better he rested, the sooner he’d get better and be able to train again. Simple.

Once he was back in his room, Dedue looked to Ashe. “Was something the matter?” he asked.

Ashe looked apprehensive. “Um… I’m not completely sure, but I think Felix, um… I think he might be presenting as an Omega,” he whispered softly.

Dedue’s eyes widened in surprise. “Ah, that’s… Would that explain why he was particularly cold? I didn’t feel as if the temperature was any lower than it usually is for the monastery.”

“Y-Yea, I just agreed with him because I didn’t want to maybe freak him out.” Ashe nodded. “Um, when we get blankets, could you carry them? It’s best if they don’t have anyone’s scent on them, and since you don’t have one…”

“Consider it done. Come, we can let Sylvain know why we did not wait for him later.” Dedue nodded as he turned and headed for the lower floor.

Ashe sweated as he swallowed. “Yea, that’s… I wonder how Sylvain will react. Haven’t you noticed how he acts around Felix..?”

Dedue considered it as they walked. “... I believe in the end, it’s not particularly my business.”

“That’s understandable. I just hope it works out.” Ashe bit his lip in worry, sending a quick, silent prayer to Sothis that it truly would.

* * *

Felix didn’t really sleep while he waited for Ashe and Dedue to return. He just felt like he was in a waking daze, not really thinking of anything, just cold and staring at the ceiling. He felt… strange. Cold and tingly and strange.

When the knock came, he didn’t even sit up. “It’s unlocked,” he called instead.

Ashe opened the door, creeping in as Felix looked over. “Here you go, I got you some food! You should eat while it’s still warm, you’ll need your energy.”

“Thanks.” Slowly, carefully, Felix drew himself up, sitting on the side of his bed.

Dedue followed after, arms full of blankets. “I hope these are sufficient. They’ve been freshly washed as well.” He set the blankets down at the end of Felix’s bed before leaving again.

It was a lot more blankets than Felix anticipated or felt was really needed, but he wasn’t about to complain. Instead, he turned to Ashe, taking the tray. 

Ashe handed it over, looking nervous. “Um… How do you feel, Felix?”

Felix raised a brow. “Exhausted. But I’m fine, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Right…” Ashe bit his lip, hesitating before nodding. “Alright, rest well, Felix.” He smiled weakly before heading out the door.

… Well that was weird. Felix just ate his food, not worrying about it. When he was done, he figured he’d take the tray back and bathe before resting again. It didn’t take long for him to get down the stairs and to the dining hall, and thankfully no one was in the baths at the moment, allowing him a nice long wash.

It was when he was returning upstairs to his room that he bumped into Sylvain with a grunt. “Hey, watch it.”

“Oh, hey Fe-” Sylvain cut himself off, eyes wide. “Uh… Hey Felix…”

Felix glared up at him, though it wasn’t terribly effective with how sleepy he was. “What’s that look for?”

“Nothing, just, uh… Are you feeling alright?” Sylvain’s voice was strangely breathless.

Felix rolled his eyes anyways. “I’m fine, just sore and tired and kinda cold. I’m going back to bed.”

“Oh, do you need any more blankets?” Sylvain asked.

“No, Dedue and Ashe brought me more than I need, really. Are you done fussing, now?” Even as his words bit, he could smell Sylvain, stronger than before. “What the hell is that smell, are you wearing cologne or some shit? Lay off it next time, you stink.” Really, he smelled the opposite, Sylvain smelled really, really good, but it also made it harder to breathe in a weird way.

Sylvain swallowed, giving a soft laugh. “Uh, yea, just some cologne… Here, if you’re cold…” He tugged off his outer jacket, moving to drape it over Felix’s shoulders. “You just wear that dress shirt and vest, you can wear that when you need to leave your room, since you said you were cold. I’ve got another jacket, so I’ll be fine.”

Felix paused. It… did feel a little warmer. “Fine. Now get out of my way.”

Sylvain stumbled back as Felix shoved past him, heading back to his room. Sylvain just slumped against the wall, his own body feeling like it was burning. He cursed under his breath, running a hand over his face. What were the odds… To have Felix finally present as an Omega, something Sylvain barely believed possible, and maybe it was just from how long they’d known each other, how familiar Felix was with Sylvain as an Alpha, but maybe, just maybe… Maybe it was Sylvain’s scent that would comfort him.

Sylvain stood and bolted back to his own room, locking the door behind him. Whatever was happening, he definitely needed some ‘quality’ time to himself.

* * *

Felix simply couldn’t get comfortable.

As soon as he’d gotten to his room, he’d hug Sylvain’s jacket on the door and started making up his bed with the extra blankets, but he just couldn’t make it comfortable. Even under the weight of numerous blankets, something just felt wrong. So he pulled them off the bed and tried again, this time bunching them up. Something in the back of his mind prodded at him, as if trying to remind him of something, but he was too tired to really focus on it at all. He just kept trying until he’d made a semi-comfortable patch to lie in.

It was then his eyes fell on Sylvain’s jacket, hanging on the door. Felix wasn’t entirely sure what drove him to walk over and pick it up, but it just felt… right. He used the opportunity to lock the door before laying back down in his pile, curling up and placing the jacket over his side. Then he dragged one of the heavier blankets over himself, finally feeling comfortable. It took no time at all for him to fall asleep, truly resting for the first time since they’d returned from the battle.

* * *

“So let me get this straight,” Ingrid said, pressing her hands together. “... Felix is an Omega. And he’s just now presenting, out of the blue.”

Ashe nodded sharply. “I’m familiar with how it is, and I’m not sure he realizes it himself. But what could have changed it..?”

Ingrid pursed her lips. “I have a theory… Don’t worry about it, Ashe, it’ll probably be fine. I’m going to go talk to Sylvain, though.”

“You think what happened with them might’ve caused it?” Ashe asked.

“I’m not sure. But I do know those two have been close for a long, long time. Whether Sylvain is the cause or not, he’s probably going to want to know so he can avoid Felix’s room.” Ingrid sighed, crossing her arms. “Whatever happens, it’s going to be a mess.”

Ashe nodded. “Well, at least I can help with Omega things if he needs it. Good luck with talking to them. I actually haven’t seen Sylvain yet today, Dedue and I were planning on meeting up with him for breakfast, but then we spotted Felix.”

Ingrid’s brows furrowed. “Hm… And I didn’t see him at all at breakfast. I’ll go check his room first.”

With that she nodded to Ashe and headed upstairs, trying not to betray how worried she really was. Felix likely wouldn’t handle presenting as an Omega well when he realized, and Sylvain… Sylvain had made his peace with the fact that Felix would never be with him. All of a sudden, that was something that was more possible, and Sylvain… He wouldn’t jump on it, he wasn’t like that, not with Felix. If her hunch was right, though, it was _Sylvain_ that had made Felix present, one way or another, and that was sure to cause a stir with both of them. She took a deep breath and knocked on Sylvain’s door. “Sylvain? Are you in there?”

There was quiet for a moment before the door slowly opened, revealing Sylvain. His face was flushed, pupils blown wide, and his jaw set hard. “Oh, hey Ingrid,” he said, trying desperately to sound casual.

“Oh… So you already know.” Ingrid’s worry just spiked.

Sylvain’s shoulders slumped. “Yea. I uh… I bumped into him. It’s fine, I’ll be fine, I just need to calm down some.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I can’t believe it…”

Ingrid nodded. “Ashe and Dedue found him first. Ashe thinks he doesn’t actually realize what’s happening yet.”

Sylvain gave a breathless laugh. “He doesn’t, he… I offered him my jacket and he complained about my cologne.”

Ingrid raised a brow. “You’re not wearing any, though, are you?”

Sylvain shook his head. “No, he… He complained, he told me I stink, but everything about his body said otherwise.” He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “I want him so badly. But I can’t.”

Ingrid reached out, rubbing his arm. “Yes… It’s probably best you stay away from him for now, and you can… at least try to talk to him.”

Sylvain nodded. “Yea. He… He’s not going to want me. Whatever happened, he’ll be pissed.”

Ingrid stepped forward, pulling Sylvain into a hug. Sylvain hugged her back tightly, drinking in her scent, letting it calm him. She was such a steady presence in his life, the keeper of his secrets when it came to Felix, and he could never thank her enough. “I want to protect him,” Sylvain said softly. “He looked so soft…”

“I know, I know,” she said as she rubbed Sylvain’s back. “It’s going to be alright. You’ll work this out, both of you, I'm sure of it.”

Sylvain nodded before slowly pulling back. “Yea. Thanks, Ingrid. I’ll be fine, I just- Like I said, gotta cool off.”

Ingrid nodded and stepped away. “Alright. Let me know if you need anything.”

Sylvain nodded and shut the door, waiting to hear Ingrid walk away. Then he flopped face-first into bed, groaning softly. He’d resigned himself to a life of chasing skirts and admiring Felix without being able to have him, to marry some woman he could never love and be content with working with Felix as nobles.

Felix’s scent had been so devastatingly tantalizing. So soft and sweet and making Sylvain drool from the thought alone. Manuela hadn't been exaggerating, an Alpha’s response to a desired Omega's heat could be _powerful_ . And it wasn’t necessarily just sexual desire, not for Sylvain at least. It was the need to hold Felix, to caress and comfort him, to _protect_ him, it physically hurt. If he didn’t stay away, he was going to go mad resisting his instincts.

Sylvain could only hope his jacket would be enough to provide Felix some comfort, just to help him through.

* * *

Felix woke up warm and comfortable. He didn’t want to move at all, really, it just felt nice. And that smell…

He reached down, pulling up the jacket. Did Sylvain spray that damn cologne all over his jacket too? Moron. Felix had complained about it, but… Well, it did actually smell nice. Felix held the jacket to his chest, yawning softly as he closed his eyes. So warm and comfortable, with such a nice smell…

A strange wetness in Felix’s underwear made his eyes fly wide open again.

Felix was no stranger to wet dreams or morning wood. But this wasn’t either of those. With shaking hands, he sat up and reached down into his pants, tracing his fingers against his ass.

Slick.

And everything slammed into focus. The blankets, the cold, the smell of Sylvain- He was nesting and he hadn’t even realized it. And it wasn’t cologne, it was just Sylvain’s _scent_ , how had he missed that, he knew it so well, had he truly been that out of it that he didn’t realize? And Sylvain, he’d played along, he must’ve noticed, must’ve known, why didn’t he say anything?

Felix’s mind was a flurry of emotions. His body was so warm and sensitive and he was in _heat_ and… And Sylvain gave him his jacket.

Felix pulled himself out of his bed- his _nest_ \- and grabbed the jacket, storming out of his room before he could think better of it. He pounded his fist on Sylvain’s door.

Sylvain opened it after a few moments, seeming confused. Then his eyes widened in alarm. “Felix? What are you doing here, you should be rest-”

Felix threw the jacket in Sylvain’s face. “You! You knew, and you didn’t say anything!”

Sylvain winced as he pulled the jacket off his head. “Felix, I just… You needed your rest.”

“Is it funny to you? I bet it was hilarious, seeing me so tired I didn’t realize I was smelling _you_ , that I thought it was fucking something you were wearing?” Felix didn’t know why he was so upset but he was, it hurt, he was and and upset and this was all stupid. “Bet it’s just hilarious for you to find out you’re the one I’m apparently worked up over.”

Sylvain placed his hands on Felix’s shoulders, and for the first time Felix truly looked him in the eyes. It sent a chill down Felix’s spine. Sylvain’s pupils were blown wide, his gaze intent on Felix and making him feel strangely vulnerable and nervous. “Felix,” Sylvain said, voice strained. “Just go back to your room, please. I swear, I’m not making fun of you or anything, but we should really talk about this later. When you’re better.”

Felix felt frozen on the spot. Now that he knew he was in heat, he knew exactly why Sylvain was reacting in this way. When he didn’t move, Sylvain took the jacket and wrapped it around Felix’s shoulders again. “We’ll talk later, I promise. But… When we’re both in our right minds.”

Felix stepped away from him, wrapping his arms around himself. He didn’t know what to make of it, any of it, so with one last glance to Sylvain, he darted back to his room and slammed the door.

Felix didn’t know why he was suddenly presenting now. He and Sylvain had known each other since they were kids. Yesterday, though, when he’d gotten hurt… Sylvain had been so worried, and carried him the entire way home, and just… But was that really something that had changed with Sylvain? Or did something change with Felix himself? All he could really think of was that he’d accepted Sylvain’s offer for continued help, if he needed it. And maybe it really was as simple as that. Maybe… Maybe he’d already been that close to presenting anyways.

His nest was comfortable, with the soft blankets. And Sylvain’s jacket, his scent… Maybe he could just let it be. Just until they were able to talk. He curled up in the warmth and brought the clothing to his nose, drinking it in. He felt so warm all over, maybe he should just go back to sleep. Curling up was so easy, bundling up in the soft blankets.

Ashe and Dedue had probably noticed too, now that he thought about it. It would explain Ashe being on edge, and the multitude of blankets they’d brought. Felix yawned, closing his eyes and falling back asleep.

* * *

Felix figured he needed to leave his room at some point. Bathroom, bathing, eating, they were all things that were kind of important, to say the least. When he opened the door, though, he nearly tripped over something. There was a blanket folded on the floor, right in his doorway. He picked it up, reading the note left on top.

_‘In case you needed another blanket. -Sylvain’_

Felix could tell this was a blanket from Sylvain’s own bed. It was practically drenched in his scent, something Felix was infinitely more sensitive to at the moment. Felix couldn’t help but wonder what his motive was. Was it any different than how he’d always been? Sylvain was pesky and ridiculous but he also was always there when Felix needed him. Felix took the blanket in and placed it on his bed before heading down to the dining hall for dinner. He was warm all over, and quite hungry. What was it Ashe had said? Heats used up more energy? It sounded about right, anyways. He spotted Ingrid on his way down the stairs. “Hey, Ingrid.”

She looked surprised. “Ah, Felix. How are you feeling?”

Felix shrugged. “It’s not too bad.” He wasn’t terribly surprised she knew. “Did Ashe and Dedue tell you?”

Ingrid smiled lightly. “Yes. I’m guessing you’ve figured it out for yourself.”

“Yea. Wish they would have mentioned it. Whatever, I’m hungry.” Felix continued walking, Ingrid falling into step beside him.

“I’ll come with, I should eat too.” Ingrid was quiet for a short time as they walked, a little slower than usual, before she spoke up again. “How are you feeling about it? I mean, about being an Omega, not the heat part.”

Felix didn’t respond at first. “... Why Sylvain?” he murmured softly.

Ingrid smiled softly. “He’s… You two have always been close. You’re the reason he presented as an Alpha, you know? He wanted to protect you first and foremost.”

“I don’t need protecting,” Felix grumbled, folding his arms.

Ingrid laughed. “No, you don’t. But… Look at it this way- Dimitri is a powerful fighter in his own right. That doesn’t make Dedue want to protect him any less. Because Dedue cares. It’s not the same thing, obviously, but he cares, and Sylvain cares about you.”

Felix felt his face heat as his mind flicked to the idea of Sylvain, wrapped around him, holding him. “Gross.”

Ingrid shrugged, still smiling. “Just because that attraction is there, it doesn’t mean you have to do anything about it. If you think it’s just physical, and that’s not what you want, then you just say no.”

Felix considered her out of the corner of his eye. “... You don’t seem at all surprised, you know.”

“Because I’m not. While I certainly didn’t imagine it’d happen like _this_ , I always thought, even if you didn’t end up together, this would come up eventually.” Ingrid pat his shoulder. “Whatever happens, you’re both my friends, and you presenting as an Omega doesn’t change who you are, or how strong you are. I’m sure even in heat you could give most of us a run for our money in a spar.”

Felix snorted, unable to help himself. “Sure, sure. Let’s just eat, I'm starving.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to grab you food? Even if Sylvain isn’t there, you’re probably going to get a few weird looks.”

“I’ll get my own food and go back to my room, they can deal with it,” Felix grumbled. “I’m not the only one in school to have a damn heat.”

“Alright, alright,” Ingrid said, raising her hands. “I just wanted to offer.”

Felix nodded and headed into the dining hall, pointedly ignoring everyone else. He just wanted to grab some food and go, no hassle. And if anyone tried to bother him, they were going to get punched in the face. He had no patience for anything else today.

Thankfully, no one seemed inclined to do much more than look, which was fine by him. Ingrid being there might’ve been a deterrent, though he wasn’t about to complain. The kitchen staff were kind enough to give him a tray as well. “See you later, Ingrid.”

Ingrid nodded. “See you. Rest well.”

Felix nodded and made his way back to his room. Thankfully there were few other people in the area at the moment, so he was able to get back to his room without incident. When he put the tray down, though… The room felt empty. He knew how to fix that, and maybe it was a bad idea, but he’d followed Sylvain on enough bad ideas. It was Felix’s turn.

He draped the blanket Sylvain had given him over his nest before leaving the room, knocking on Sylvain’s door. It took a few moments for Sylvain to open again. “Huh? Felix, what are you doing here? Did I piss you off again with the blanket?” he asked with a wince.

“No, you didn’t.” Felix held his gaze, mind strangely clear. “It’s incredibly boring, sitting in my room all day. I figured you could come sit with me.”

Sylvain paled. “Felix, that’s… That’s not a good idea, we shouldn’t-”

Felix held up a hand to stop him. “I just don’t want to be alone. That’s it. You don’t wanna talk about all this, you don’t want to do anything, fine. Just sit with me. It’s either that or I go train, because if I have to stay in my room alone with nothing to do, I’m going to go stir crazy.”

Sylvain looked a bit frustrated for a few moments, and Felix knew he’d tightened the ropes. It was either go with Felix, or let him train despite being in heat and having an injured ankle. The threat was mostly idle, Felix didn’t really plan on training exactly, but he wasn’t lying about going stir crazy. There was only so long he could sleep, after all.

“Fine,” Sylvain finally said. “Fine. C’mon, then.” He closed his door and followed Felix back to his room, moving a bit stiffly.

Felix grabbed his tray of food and sat in his nest, starting to eat calmly. Sylvain sat on what little part of the bed wasn’t covered, looking it over. Felix watched him, already feeling more settled. Had it always been like this, being more comfortable just with Sylvain being around? Felix couldn’t really remember, but the sensation didn’t feel alien at all.

“It’s kinda cool, seeing what nesting really looks like,” Sylvain spoke up eventually, smiling at Felix. “It’s kinda cute, in a weird way. Is it really more comfortable like that?”

“Yea, somehow. It’s probably more about like… safety, I guess. I don’t know.” Felix finished his food and put the tray on the desk before fully climbing into his nest. He wrapped Sylvain’s blanket around himself, drinking it in.

Sylvain smiled softly at that. “Heh… I’m glad that helps.” He tentatively reached out a hand, running it through Felix’s hair.

They stayed like that for a while, quiet and calm, with Sylvain combing his fingers through Felix’s hair and Felix lightly leaning into the touch. It was peaceful in a way Felix had never experienced before, something he wanted to continue doing. Sure, he could feel the burn in his stomach, the desire to be touched, but the simple petting, for lack of a better word, sated him.

“... How are _you_ doing?” Felix asked softly.

“Huh?” Sylvain’s hand paused. “What do you mean?”

“I mean… Earlier, at least, you were… responding to my heat.” Felix glanced up, feeling a little embarrassed all of a sudden.

Sylvain nodded, smiling slightly. “Yea. And… Yea, it’s there in my mind, I can’t lie. But more than that, I just want to be here for you, to keep you safe and comfortable.”

Felix nodded. Then he reached up, putting a hand over Sylvain’s. “Lay with me. Not doing anything, just… Being here.” He turned onto his back, pulling the blanket from around himself.

Sylvain hesitated. He wasn’t sure if he should, if maybe this was a bad idea, but… He tugged his shoes off and pulled himself into the nest, letting Felix guide him down. To Sylvain’s surprise, Felix nudged Sylvain’s head onto the front of his shoulder before shifting so his legs were draped over Sylvain’s. It was almost as if he was sitting sideways on Sylvain’s lap, but laying down. Sylvain just smiled, leaning up to nose against Felix’s neck. There, that sensitive point of skin where scent was strongest, he nuzzled against it and felt Felix lightly shiver.

Sylvain could just get drunk on that scent, so sweet and spicy and tantalizing. Felix just traced his fingers over Sylvain’s back as his free hand dragged the blanket over them both. “You’re so perfect, Felix…” Sylvain said wistfully.

Felix snorted, though Sylvain could tell he was still smiling. “Flattery isn’t going to get you anywhere.”

“Like I want to go anywhere, are you kidding me? I’m perfect right here…” Sylvain placed a delicate kiss on the sensitive scent gland.

Felix gave a non-committal hum, just curling into him a bit more. It didn’t take long for him to doze off in spite of himself, far too comfortable to keep himself awake.

Sylvain felt Felix still and fall asleep, smiling the whole time. He just felt so warm and happy and even if they didn’t end up together, Felix was letting him do this much, which felt so good.

Eventually Sylvain drifted off as well, cradling Felix close and dreaming of a happy future.

* * *

“You can almost _see_ the dog tail wagging,” Claude drawled, stifling his own laughter.

“Indeed,” Dimitri agreed. “I never expected Sylvain to be the fussy type, though I suppose it doesn’t entirely surprise me. I would say Felix is more of a cat, though.”

“A very sleepy and annoyed cat,” Claude supplied. “Seriously though, that’s kinda goals if you ask me.”

Dimitri chuckled as he watched Sylvian and Felix eat breakfast. Well, it was more like Felix was drowsily eating breakfast while Sylvain hovered and fussed. It truly was adorable, seeing how happy Sylvain was and how eagerly he cared for Felix. Felix seemed fully aware of it, just too tired to do much about it.

Eventually Sylvain sat down to eat his own food, though he stayed very close to Felix. He whispered something in Felix’s ear between bites of oatmeal, while the only sign Felix heard him was rolling his eyes.

Dimitri stood, walking over to sit in the seat across from them. “You look rather tired, Felix. How are you, both of you?”

Felix shrugged. “Looks like my heat leaves me slow and tired, but I’m fine other than that. I doubt Sylvain would allow it otherwise,” he added with a snort.

Sylvain chuckled, nuzzling in. “Mm, c’mon, I’m just making sure it goes okay, I mean, that’s what Alpha’s do, right?” And Dimitri could practically see the hearts in Sylvain’s eyes, all for Felix.

Dimitri couldn’t help his own smile. “Just thought I’d check on the two of you. There can be complications with first heats, I know, but it’s good you’re not having that. And Dedue hasn’t mentioned it to either of you, but I know he is a touch worried about the two of you maybe being a bit quick on it all. I can see that isn’t a worry, though.”

Sylvain blushed. “O-Oh, yea, no, that’s not- I’m not…”

“I’m not saying you are, and I doubt Dedue is either. It can just be a temptation, and even if you did decide to, it’s your choice.” Dimitri shook his head.

Felix sighed. “It’s not really any of your business anyways, but I’d rather not think about that at all. I’m in heat, I haven’t lost my sense,” he said. “I’m not doing anything like that.”

“I’m sorry, I suppose it was a bad subject to bring up. You’re right, it’s none of my business.” Dimitri bowed his head a moment. 

“Whatever.” Felix leaned a bit into Sylvain, yawning softly. “I’m going back to my room.” He carefully stood, taking his tray back before heading for the door.

To Dimitri’s surprise, Sylvain didn’t follow, instead simply watching Felix go. “... I am worried,” he admitted softly. “Felix is spending most of the time asleep, and I’m not sure if that’s normal or not.”

“You should go ask Manuela, she would know better than the rest of us. I’m sure Felix will survive without you for a few minutes,” Dimitri said with a teasing smile.

Sylvain laughed sheepishly, rubbing his neck. “Right… I am being a bit much, aren’t I?”

Dimitri shrugged. “Seems he isn’t pushing you off. Maybe he likes it, at least while he’s not feeling quite up to snuff. Go on, I’ll take your tray back for you.”

Sylvain nodded. “Right, thanks Dimitri.” He got up and quickly walked out the door, heading straight for the second floor stairs. Thankfully, Manuela wasn’t hard to find. “Professor Manuela? Can I ask you about something?”

Manuela looked up in surprise. “Sure, what do you need?”

“Felix presented as an Omega, and his heat has been going okay, but… Well, he’s tired and slow all the time, and he’s sleeping a lot. I’m really worried about him.” Sylvain shuffled his feet, feeling a little embarrassed.

Manuela nodded with a slight smile. “Yes, some Omegas are like that, especially when they’re comfortably nesting. Is he eating alright?”

“Well, he’s eating slowly, he’s doing everything slowly, but he’s eating the same amount as he does usually.” Sylvain tilted his head, thinking about it. “Should I try to encourage him to eat more?”

“That isn’t a bad idea, though don’t force the issue if he doesn’t feel like eating more. He should be fine,” Manuela said.

Sylvain nodded. “Right, thanks. I just wanted to check.”

“It’s better to check than not,” she said. “Just let me know if something else comes up.”

Sylvain nodded again before jogging back downstairs. He walked back to Felix’s room, peeking in to see Felix curled up and reading a book. He just stepped in and sat in the nest again. “What’cha reading?”

“Make-up work for class, since I’m missing it.” Felix looked up. “Did the boar’s comment bother you that much? You haven’t stopped hanging over me since I brought you over, then you suddenly disappear.”

Sylvain chuckled. “I was just asking Manuela something. I was kinda worried about you being so tired, but apparently it’s just how some Omegas are.”

Felix nodded. “Yea. It sucks a little, but it just is what it is.” He settled back, letting Sylvain tug him into a hug as he continued reading.

It was peaceful, like this. Sylvain could just turn his mind off and drink Felix in without worry or restraint. Felix smelled so sweet, but spicy at the same time, tantalizing and complex. Sylvain liked to think it fit Felix perfectly, so alluring despite being stand-offish. Besides, Sylvain liked the spicy just as much as the sweet. It was just how Felix was, and Sylvain loved Felix so much, it almost hurt. His chest ached with adoration fully released, finally allowing himself to feel the full strength of his own emotions, to not push it down from his own obligations and belief that Felix would never, could never feel the same.

Sylvain kissed Felix’s neck, gentle and adoring. Felix shifted, closing his book and leaning into the touch. Felix turned to look at Sylvain, drowsy eyes considering the redhead. “... Ingrid said you presented as an Alpha because of me.”

Sylvain flushed deeper. “Oh, she… Um… Is that a bad thing?”

There was a long moment of quiet as Felix considered him. “You never told me.”

Sylvian shrugged. “It wasn’t important. I… I wanted to protect you when we were young, that’s all. If that’s what triggered it, no big deal.”

Felix nodded before leaning back again, closing his eyes. “Did you always love me, too?”

“... I don’t know,” Sylvain answered honestly. “I think I was too young to truly know what it felt like to love someone romantically. Somewhere along the line, I did, though. I fell for you. But I didn’t say anything.” Felix’s gaze slid to Sylvain out of the corners of his eyes, a silent prompt to continue. “... You know my family. I have to have a kid with a crest. And besides, you always… When we were kids, we were inseparable, practically glued to one another. Then, when Glenn died- You were already pulling away as we got older, and I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, I do love seeing you so strong and on your own two feet. But you isolated yourself, after the incident. And I just… I like seeing you being strong and stand on your own, but I also want you to be able to fall to me when needed.”

Felix closed his eyes again. “... I didn’t know how. I relied on you too much, and I wanted to stop that, but I didn’t know how to without fully refusing it.” He sighed, letting his head fall back against Sylvain’s shoulder. “You’ve always been there though. When I really needed you, you were there.” Felix sighed, feeling heavier than ever before.

“Of course. I always will be, too.” Sylvain traced his fingers over Felix’s chest. “... Felix? Do you love me?”

Felix laid there for a bit, the only sign he’d heard Sylvain’s question being a hand taking the one moving over his chest. He was quiet for a long time, and Sylvain knew he was thinking about it. Whatever answer he gave, it would be as true as either of them could know at this point.

“... No. I don’t,” he said, voice so soft.

And it hurt. It did. Sylvain could feel the sting in the corners of his eyes, the burning in his throat. “... Yea. I thought so.”

Felix turned to Sylvain, rolling over onto his side. He watched Sylvain, reaching up to wipe at the corner of his eye. “... Since… All of that happened, I’m not sure I’ve loved anyone. Glenn was gone, Ingrid and I were never _that_ close, my father… He said things I couldn’t, can’t forgive him for, and Dimitri… When I saw what he did to quell the rebellion, I think all I could do was close myself off. Even from you.”

“I understand. And it doesn’t change how I feel about you, you’re… I want you to be happy. I wish I could be the one to make you happy, but if I can’t, I want to find who or what will.” Sylvain smiled softly, taking his hand from Felix’s chest to hold the hand on his face.

Felix looked him over. “I don’t love you. But… I could. I could.”

“What?” Sylvain frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Love… To me, a big part of love is being vulnerable, opening yourself up. If you’d be willing to give me the chance… I think I could learn again. To open up, to be vulnerable. To love you.” Felix sighed softly. “I don’t want to lead you on. Walk away, if you don’t feel comfortable, please. I just think… This came around because of you. I’m in heat because of _you_ Sylvain. There’s something there. All that really changed was… accepting you helping me if I needed it. And I haven’t _needed_ it, despite both my ankle and heat, but I still opened that at least slightly.”

Sylvain couldn’t deny the hope that immediately exploded in his chest, threatening to choke him with its force. But he still had his wits, his sense, knowing that it was just that- a chance. “Let’s talk about it again, when you’re not in heat, when we’re not both hormonal, heh.”

Felix nodded. “Mhm. It’s strange, I expected it to be more… Distracting, I guess? But while I’m tired, everything is… slow, but clear all the same. Does that make sense?”

“Yea, I think so. And you’ve always been relatively level-headed anyways. You’re not horny, just sleepy. A cute sleepy Omega,” Sylvain teased, kissing Felix’s nose playfully.

Felix groaned, rolling his eyes. “You’re the worst.”

“Mm, get some rest, Felix. Just get some rest.” Sylvain pulled him close, pulling Felix down against his neck.

Felix seemed to respond anyway, nuzzling against where his scent would be strongest and curling up somewhat against him. Whatever their relationship going forward, this was still a comfort, a sweetness Sylvain ached for.

Felix drank in Sylvain’s scent, letting himself doze as he lost himself in thought. He meant what he said, truly. The science behind their secondary sexes, it was there. And he was almost completely sure about the reason he suddenly presented. Besides, Omegas were also simply more vulnerable overall during their heat. So perhaps this was finally an opportunity to get closer again, a catalyst for their bond to strengthen.

At the very least, Felix could enjoy Sylvain’s scent. He’d never truly taken note of it other than identifying it as Sylvain’s, but he could appreciate it more now. And much of what came to mind was just _warmth_. Warmth and comfort and something so wonderfully safe, just what his instincts were craving. It wasn’t long before he found himself truly drifting off, sleep overtaking him entirely.

* * *

It didn’t take Felix long to recover, thankfully. While his ankle was still achy, his heat had gone entirely by the morning of the third day, making the whole endeavor blessedly short. Felix was able to feel awake for the first time in several days and nudged Sylvain awake.

Sylvain groaned. “Five more minutes…”

“No, get up, I need to clean.” Felix pulled Sylvain upright. “C’mon, if you’re not going to help, get out at least.”

Sylvain groaned. “You’re done being all cuddly? Aw…” Still, he stood, stretching. “I’ll help, I’ll help. What’cha need?”

“I just need to carry these blankets down to be washed and returned. Except for yours, you should take that back unless you want it washed.” Felix started to gather the blankets from the bed, loosely folding them enough to make them easier to carry.

Sylvain nodded and grabbed his blanket, draping it over his shoulders. “Mm, best sleep I’ve had in a while. That was nice.”

Felix nodded, gazing at Sylvain from the corner of his eye. “... How are you doing? With… the thing with your brother and all.”

Sylvain froze, face paling. “I…” He swallows, arms falling to his sides as he looked down. “... I haven’t thought about it. Looking after you has been a good excuse.”

Felix put the blankets down and moved in front of Sylvain. “Are you okay? I know… Whatever you’ve said, you did care. I know you care about these things.”

Sylvain sighed. “I will be, I just… I will, don’t worry.”

“But you’re not. Right now, at least, you’re not okay.” Felix hesitated, but reached up, pulling Sylvain’s face close. He pressed their foreheads together, closing his eyes and letting them be close together. “Lean on me, if you need it, Sylvain. Please.”

Sylvain watched him for a moment before closing his eyes. He just let himself find comfort in the simple touch. “Okay,” he said, voice soft. “I just… Just a moment.” Felix gave a soft hum of assent, just staying close. Eventually, though, Sylvain had to pull away, blinking away any tears that might have come. “Alright, let’s get these blankets washed.”

Felix considered Sylvain for a moment before nodding and gathering the blankets again. Sylvain appreciated him not pressing. Sylvain wasn’t sure if it would ever be okay, even if his brother _hadn’t_ turned into a monster that hurt Felix and nearly killed them all. All he could do was pray that in death, his brother would find the peace and happiness he was never allowed in life. And there was guilt, of course, as there always was when he thought of his brother. A crest was something Sylvain had no control over, and he had no control over how his parents had treated his brother, but it didn’t stop the guilt from creeping in behind the cracks and oozing through the seams.

“If I have a kid without a crest,” he found himself saying softly, “I’m never going to do what my parents did. I don’t care what they or anyone else would say.”

Felix paused, not having expected Sylvain to say more. To Sylvain’s surprise, however, he smiled. It was soft and ever so small, but it was there all the same. “Good. Fighting him… Some part of me wondered how much he could have helped your house, had he not been thrown aside. He was obviously a skilled fighter, even without the formal training being a noble would give.”

“He was, wasn’t he? I wish… I wish I could have fought at his side.” Sylvain slowly blinked the tears back again, taking a deep, shuddering breath. “C’mon, let’s get these back. We still have to grab food before class, unless you feel like starving until lunch.”

Felix walked out the door without another word, Sylvain following behind. It didn’t take long for them to return the blankets, and without a word, they went down to the dining hall. Sylvain knew they needed to talk, but he also figured Felix would want a little time to think and come down from the strain of the past few days, too, to get used to being fully awake again. They would talk in their own time.

For now, though, he sat with Dimitri and Ingrid, catching up with them after the past two days had mostly been spent with Felix. It didn’t seem he’d missed much, though the others carried much the same concerns as Felix had- How Sylvain was handling his brother’s passing and the events of the battle. He told them less than he had told Felix, simply assuring them that he was okay, he was handling it, everything would be fine. Whether they believed him or not, they let him be, which was appreciated.

It was nice to have things return to something resembling normalcy. Sylvain had never been so happy to actually go to class. And thankfully, aside from a few grins, no one really said anything to either of them. Sylvain was able to simply focus on studying and training for the time being.

Of course he was worried about Felix. Not knowing where they stood, it was nerve-wracking, but Sylvain knew they would talk about it. Felix kept his word, always, and when he was ready, he would come talk to Sylvain. Sylvain just had to wait.

Sylvain didn’t have to wait for terribly long. That Sunday, at breakfast, Felix slipped a small paper to Sylvain’s side. Sylvain didn’t glance at him, he just picked it up to read.

_‘Meet me by the entrance to Garreg Mach. I want to take a walk.’_

A walk, huh? That sounded nice, actually. And it was likely that Felix would want to talk now, if he was trying to get him alone. Sylvain finished his food quickly before getting up and taking his tray back. Then he walked as fast as he could to the front gates without looking weird.

He wasn’t all that surprised to find himself waiting a bit. Sylvain had gotten out there rather quickly, and Felix likely wasn’t rushing. Still, it wasn’t long before Felix arrived.

“Good morning,” Sylvain said with a grin. “A nice day, huh?”

Felix nodded. “C’mon.” He started walking, leaving Sylvain to fall into step beside him. “... I’ve never been good at small talk. You probably know what I want to talk about.”

Sylvain nodded. “Yea… Look, I just- The first and foremost thing I want is for you to be fine. Okay?”

Felix nodded, looking to Sylvain. “Then… What else would you want?”

“What?” Sylvain didn’t understand what he meant by the question at all. “I… I’m not going to do anything you’re not okay with, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“It’s not. Besides, how would I know if I’m okay with it if you don’t tell me what it is you want? Just tell me, Sylvain.” Felix sounded faintly annoyed as he came to a stop under a tree. He looked a bit embarrassed as well.

Sylvain paused beside him. What _did_ Sylvain want? To be with Felix, obviously, but what did that mean? Felix obviously wanted a more specific answer. So what did he want…

Sylvain closed his eyes, thinking about it. What did being with Felix mean? He’d never thought about it much beyond the typical dating sort of thing. Then a thought slammed into Sylvain’s mind with the force of a charging bull. Sylvain glanced aside, blushing hard. “There… I dunno. I guess it’s more a fantasy than anything else.”

“It better not be perverted,” Felix grumbled, a little flustered and apprehensive.

Sylvain shrugged. “I dunno, some might find it a little pervy?” He shuffled his feet before continuing on. “There’s this room in the Gautier estate, for the omega of the family. It’s got a huge bed and a ton of blankets and pillows and such. And I was thinking of… of you there, nesting. M-Maybe mostly bare, and wrapped up in one of my cloaks.”

When Sylvain finally glanced back to Felix, Felix’s face was mostly red and his eyes diverted. “That… doesn’t sound so bad. I mean, if we were mates, it shouldn’t be surprising that I wouldn’t necessarily always be clothed… And here I thought you were going to say something gross.”

Sylvain gave a small, nervous laugh. “Yea… I guess I like the idea of you waiting for me to get back, then being able to cuddle up and rub your back. Bring you food, and maybe read to you…” Sylvain sighed wistfully, knowing his smile likely looked particularly dopey.

“Is that all?” Felix asked, looking back to him with a slight smile.

Sylvain tilted his head. “Um… I guess? Were you expecting something else..?”

“Heh… A little. I mean, most alphas don’t think of reading to an omega when they’re in heat…” Felix said with a raised brow.

“What do you- Oh. _Oh._ ” It was Sylvain’s turn to flush a dark red, realizing what Felix was talking about. “It… It never even crossed my mind, honest.”

“I believe you.” Felix’s smile was small, but there all the same, seeming more relaxed than before.

Sylvain smiled back tentatively. “Like I said, I want to make you happy. And I know you don’t _need_ help. You’re one of the strongest people I know. I just… like the idea of taking care of you when you’re not feeling as great, I guess.”

“Yea. So if we were mates, what, you weren’t thinking of much different? I mean, for how things would be between us.” Felix took a step closer, tugging at his shirt sleeves.

“Not to start, at least. I mean, we’re best friends first, right? So besides maybe being a bit more cuddly, I don’t see a reason to treat you differently or anything.” Sylvain tilted his head. “Is that what you were worried about?”

Felix rubbed his neck. “... I think any Omega has that thought that their friends will treat them differently because of presenting as one.” It was as direct a confession as Sylvain would get.

Sylvain smiled. “Yea, that’s understandable. And I guess I do see you differently. After all, you’re even _cuter_ when you’re sleepy in your heat~” Sylvain teased.

He did feel a bit bad at the brief flicker of fear across Felix’s face, but Sylvain paid for it in a very hard punch to the shoulder. “You’re a jackass,” Felix hissed. He was pouting and frustrated and Sylvain’s heart was just all aflutter from it. “Don’t do that.”

“Sorry, sorry. Saw an opportunity. Won’t happen again, promise.” Sylvain smiled, taking his own step forward. He took Felix’s hand with a smile, bringing it up to his lips and lightly kissing his knuckles. “You’re the strongest and most gorgeous Omega in the world. And I’d do anything to make sure you were happy and safe and cared for.”

Felix blushed darker, appearing more like a cherry than a young man. His eyes were diverted. “You’re incorrigible…”

“I try my best,” Sylvain teased. “But I am serious, Felix. Whatever happens… You’ve always been most important to me. You don’t pretend to be anything you’re not, you don’t care what anyone thinks. And you don’t think about what you can get out of me. You’ve just… been there. You’ve been my friend. There’s no one I trust in the world more than you.”

Felix’s eyes widened as he looked back to Sylvain. And of course he would understand just how much that statement really meant. Felix swallowed. “Then… Stop flirting with girls so much. If you’re going to be my partner, it’ll be really annoying to deal with you messing around like that.”

Sylvain’s eyes widened. “You mean..?” 

“Don’t,” Felix said, raising his other hand, “get ahead of yourself. I’m not sure about all this yet. But that really is the bare minimum, just- stop the flirting. Please.”

“Of course. I mean, give me a little bit to break the habit, but I’m sure I can.” Sylvain was giddy all over again. Sure it wasn’t solid but it was a chance all the same, one he’d been dying for. He needed this. He needed Felix in his life like he needed air to breathe. “Besides, women are great, but I mostly flirted because… Well, you know.” He shrugged before moving forward, sweeping Felix into a hug.

Felix yelped, gripping Sylvain’s shoulders tightly. “Hey, be careful! The last thing I need is to sprain something again.”

Sylvain carefully put him down, but held him close with a smile. “So your foot is feeling better? That’s good.”

“I’m alright. Come on, we should get back.” Felix pried himself out of Sylvain’s arms, seeming a little uncomfortable.

Sylvain smiled anyways. “Alright.” He wanted nothing more than to smother Felix, but that action made him think twice about it. “... Hey Felix… Until I know, like… How much you’re comfortable with and stuff, I think you should be the one to initiate affection?”

Felix looked at him, tilting his head. “I… I’m not great at doing that.”

“Well, think about it like this. I don’t know your limits. But I know they’re really unlikely to be past anything I’m comfortable with, and I don’t want to make _you_ uncomfortable, or feel like you have to do certain things. So I’ll leave it to you. If you want to do something, you can, and if you don’t want to do anything, you don’t have to worry, yea?” Sylvain smiled back. “And it’s not like you have to do _everything_ , you just poke me or something. You’ve always been good at being direct, so you just be direct about this too, right?”

“... I’ll try.” Felix nodded to him.

Sylvain’s smile only grew as Felix reached out, tentatively hooking his pinky around Sylvain’s. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.


End file.
